Several large storms this water season in 2021, brought widespread rainfall and snow to the region easing the drought conditions for much of California. However, given the large precipitation deficits and relatively dry conditions for much of January, the region is faced with the ongoing drought.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.
Several large storms this water season in 2021, brought widespread rainfall and snow to the region easing the drought conditions for much of California. However, given the large precipitation deficits and relatively dry conditions for much of January, the region is faced with the ongoing drought. Interior northern California is still experiencing widespread drought as of the end of January. Many restrictions continue throughout the region as well as the state-wide drought declaration by governor Gavin Newsom. Mandatory water restrictions on outdoor water use take effect for all Californians at the end of January with possible fines of $500 to violators. Rules include not watering lawns for 48 hours after a rainstorm and not letting sprinklers run onto the sidewalk. Also announced in late January, the Department of Water Resources plans to give water districts 15% of requested water for 2022. Previously a 0% allocation was anticipated for 2022 from state storage to local agencies that provide water for 27 million people and large areas of farmland.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 2:08 PM PST, 9 hours 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 208 PM PST Fri Dec 31 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Cold and dry weather is forecast through the weekend. A renewed chance of precipitation and windy conditions will return early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Visible satellite imagery early this afternoon shows low stratus slowly dissipating over the northern San Joaquin County and clouds forming over the mountains. A trough digging just to our east is causing clouds as well as light showers to form over the mountains today. This is also causing winds to shift from the north to northeast across interior Northern California with locally elevated winds this afternoon through tomorrow. No impacts are expected with these light showers or locally elevated winds. Some patchy to locally dense fog did form early this morning across the Valley. However, fog formation tomorrow will be limited due to the north winds in the Valley. Instead, colder conditions are forecast to continue through the weekend. Daytime temperatures in the mid 40s to low 50s will continue in the Valley with 20s to 40s in the mountains and foothills. Overnight temperatures will be especially cold with Valley and foothill morning low temperatures in the mid 20s to low 30s and single digits to 20s in the mountains. Frost is likely across most of the area, especially tomorrow morning and Sunday morning. An upper level trough approaches Northern California later Sunday into Monday, with multiple shortwaves projected to bring multiple round of precipitation through interior Northern California Monday through Wednesday. However, ensemble guidance continues to pull the trough to the north, decreasing QPF and snow amounts and shifting the majority of the precipitation north of I-80. Gusty winds remain in the forecast on Monday, especially for the high Sierra and Valley/foothill locations north of I-80. More details for this system below. -HEC && .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Tuesday THROUGH Friday)... Although the 5H Cluster analysis infers reasonable confidence in the overall synoptic pattern, the QPF forecast infers a possible (somewhat large) degree of error, and lower confidence. Another short wave is forecast to move across the Pac NW and Norcal on Tue with what would be considered a weak AR/moisture plume focused into the region. Model QPFs have been trending lower as the deep NErn Pac cyclone begins to fill as the Ern Pac ridge builds into the GOA. Meteogram QPF members for the ECMWF have generally been trending wetter than the GFS, while the GFS has been trending towards lower QPF, as well as WPC guidance. Regardless, there has been a Nwd shift of the precip with very light (or nil) amounts farther S of I-80. Thus, the bulk of the precip will most likely be over the Nrn mtns. With rising 5H heights snow levels will also be rising to over 5-6 Kft by the end of the day Tue. A strong Sly pressure gradient is forecast ahead of the precip frontal band on Mon with the NAM 925 mbs winds suggesting a strong LLJ over 40Kts over the Nrn Sac Vly for much of the day where winds could near/above wind advisory criteria. Meteogram data for the selected sites also tend to support this possibility. A more progressive pattern over Wrn NOAM allows the Ern Pac ridge to build/move inland Wed and Thu for milder and mostly drier wx. There is a chance of WAA lingering some precip chances mainly over the Nrn half of our CWA Wed/Thu, otherwise the next chance of precip looks to be Fri with the next incoming trof. JHM && .AVIATION... VFR conditions thru 00z Sun in Valley with exception of possible narrow strip of ST/Fog with local LIFR conditions mainly on the east side of the Sac and Nrn SJV (generally E of I-5) from KMCC- KMHR-KSCK- KMOD from 10-18z Sat. Areas of LIFR-MVFR conditions over the Sierra generally S of I-80 improving to VFR after 02-03z Sat. Surface winds generally <= 10 kts. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
12 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 13 to severe drought. The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved most of Zone 14 to severe drought with only the far northern border of the zone remaining in extreme drought (D3). A small portion of the zone near Lassen National Park was improved to moderate drought (D1). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 15 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 16 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region. The Hyatt Powerplant at Oroville Dam resumed operations after the powerplant at the dam was taken offline on August 5th due to record low water levels. This was the first time the plant was shut down after it was completed in 1967. Lake Oroville is California’s second-largest reservoir. When the dam is operating at full capacity, enough power is generated to power up to 800,000 homes.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 17 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 18 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 19 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 63 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 66 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved all of Zone 67 to severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved portions of Zone 68 in western Plumas county and areas surrounding Lassen National Park to moderate drought (D1) with the remainder of the zone in severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
For the month of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor improved a portion of the far eastern part of Zone 69 to moderate drought (D1) with the remainder of the zone in severe drought (D2). The zone continued to see signs of improvement to much of the impacts affecting the region.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1003732, 1003733, 1003734, 1003735, 1003736, 1003737, 1003738, 1003739, 1003740, 1003742, 1003743, 1003744.